Mark 2:1-12(KJV) 1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

The Fantastic Four – Some of you immediately thing about the Marvel Comic Book series by the same name, others will think it has something to do with the four gospels, and still others think that it’s all about the four friends…. I found four fantastic things from this scripture….

1. Friends… You’ve got to have friends. We sing “I am a friend of God” but do we have friends around us that are friends like we are to God? You need to choose your friends wisely. I want a friend that will support me regardless of my failures and situations of life. We need Friends who look at OUR situation and determine that there IS a solution and will work to MOVE ME into the solution arena for a miracle.

  1. Wrong Friends in Your life are at odds with God (James 4:4), you are unequally yoked (2 Cor 6:14)
  2. A friend loves at ALL TIMES (Prov 17:17), yet a friend can wound us and still be faithful (Prov 27:6) – our countenance is sharpened by our friends (Prov 27:17).
  3. IF you want to have friends, you must show yourself to be friendly (Prov 18:24)

Friends will do for you when you cannot do for yourself! –

He’s paralytic (paralyzed, feeble). He may not even be able to talk well. Maybe his friends come to visit him every day to see what his needs are and how they can help him. He’s probably shut-in, incapable of movement or sustaining his own life.

O, we need to surround ourselves with friends that will step in and help we are incapable of helping ourselves!

Friends will take you to the solution!

They will share the load between them and pick you up, even if they have to carry your bed with you in it… They will press into the crowd where Jesus is…Nothing will deter them.

O, we all need friends right now because some of us are incapable of taking ourselves to Jesus.

Friends will not be deterred by the impossibility.

Perhaps they were shoved from the door of the house where the crowd had gathered. Perhaps they were ridiculed. Perhaps they struggled greatly with the task of their friend and could have just as easily given up – “Oh, well….” Perhaps they struggled getting the man onto the roof. Perhaps they struggled looking for the best place to tear aside the roof.

O, for a friend of this church – someone who will not give up regardless of what others say.

Regardless, Friends never cease to help you!

2. Jesus is in town. He’s in a house in Capernaum (perhaps a disciples house). The crowds flock. The sick are brought. He’s teaching. Wonderful words of life. This is early in his ministry and he’s perhaps not completely a known entity.

  1. Bring Jesus into your House and people will come to your house to find Him!
  2. Let it be noised about that the Healer is at Your House and people will come.
  3. What a witness! Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Email, Fax, Phone, Tin Can and String – the word will be out – You have Jesus in Your House!

Wouldn’t it be something to have a press of people around this place that you could not make it in the door?

No longer could you show up simply On Time – You would have to come very early to get a seat. It could happen. Let’s Bring Jesus Here and Lift Him Up and He will draw ALL men unto Him!

If you are a person in need, where are your friends today?

3. Faith… Faith… Faith… Just a little bit of Faith! Whose faith is required?

  1. Paul tells the readers that you don’t have to walk by your sight, but by your Faith! (2 Cor 5:7)

If these four had walked by sight they would have turned away as soon as they saw the crowd because they couldn’t see Jesus. Yet, their Faith looked higher than the press of the crowd at the door.

Their faith looked for another solution!

Even His own disciples had moments of doubt. After a particularly taxing time, they launched into the deep and Jesus tells his disciples to FISH… Peter says, “We have toiled all night and caught nothing…”

This is where some of us are – we feel like we’ve worked hard up to this moment and it seems like it’s the moment to give up. Why keep on trying?

Peter continues, “…nevertheless AT THY WORD I will let down the net…” They catch so many fish that their nets break.

Do not let the weight of the past prevent you from obeying the command of Christ!

  • The woman with the issue of blood had spent ALL SHE HAD and yet had faith to but touch His HEM.
  • The blind men followed Jesus and declared their Faith and He healed them.
  • The ruler comes for Jesus and He heals his daughter.

He goes about preaching, teaching and healing ALL MANNER OF DISEASES.

4. Finally, Fade into the background

We hear nothing about the four men – what are their names, where did they come from, what do they do?

It matters little – other than they were friends of the one in need.

We hear nothing about the sick man – what is his name, how did he get sick, what was his livelihood.

It matters little – he’s just one of millions that need Jesus, even today.

What we realize, is that this one action of Faith was not recognized by the names of the players, nor the name of the needful.

And when it was all done they Faded into the background…

There is nothing special about Jesus healing!

Some come to Jesus for a Miracle, but as He shows to us in our scripture He came to save the lost (Matt 18:11, Luke 19:10)

This is what He Came To do – Seek and save the lost

Luke 15 teaches us of the many times of rejoicing when something that was lost is found.

  • The man with a hundred sheep, leaves the 99 to find the 1.
  • The woman loses 1 of 10 pieces of silver and tears the house up looking for the 1.
  • The man with two sons, kills the calf and restores the Prodigal when he is found back home.

Don’t get me wrong, I think that Healings restore us to that favored status that Jesus wants in our lives, but I would much rather enter into heaven maimed, than to go to hell whole. (Mark 9:43)

Do let the focus about the church be about signs and miracles! Salvation is the commission that was given to us!

  • Some will come only because they have a need, and as soon as the need is met they leave.
  • Some will come because of the desperate hours this world is in, but when it gets better, they will leave
  • Some will come because of the razzle dazzle of a healing service, but they can return to their rotten life healed and doomed for hell.

What should never fade into the background is my salvation.

This is what will take me into heaven.

By Michael Gurley

Making Sense of Life, One Thought at a Time!